Freshman dental students begin learning digital dentistry in dental morphology where they utilize digital software to virtually wax. In addition, they use grading software to evaluate how close their physical wax-ups are to the ideal. As they advance to fixed prosthodontics, they use E4D Compare to evaluate their preparations. This software utilizes 3D surface mapping technology to evaluate a student preparation against a gold standard preparation,over and under reduction (Fig 1).

With removable partial dentures, all students use 3Shape software to scan and design RPDs digitally. This mirrors the new digital RPD workflow in the clinic where frameworks are printed from the local lab based on student digital designs. During the second semester of the students’ second years, there is an entire course dedicated to chairside CAD/CAM dentistry, teaching 70 hours of material on digital dentistry and modern ceramics. In this class, CEREC and E4D are taught side by side in great detail.

Before students enter the clinic, they will have scanned approximately 100 quadrants and designed and milled several cases. By the time they get into the clinics, they are thinking CAD/CAM dentistry.

The technology has been revolutionary to education and has truly taken hold at MUSC. In fact, some students graduate doing more single visit CAD/ CAM restorations than conventional restorations. Last year a student completed in excess of 20 restorations.

We have recently expanded our CAD/CAM clinic to seven chairs with a CAD/CAM system in each room. Thanks to Patterson Dental and Sirona Dental, students now have access to a CEREC Omnicam color scanner and are utilizing it heavily (Figure 2) along with CEREC Bluecam systems. We have a dedicated CAD/ CAM assistant, Gail Ward, who is highly trained to assist students with single visit dentistry (Figure 3). A typical day in the seven- operatory MUSC CAD/CAM clinic is very enjoyable for everyone. Our patients appreciate a single three-hour appointment for an e.max crown, rather than multiple three-hour appointments for a conventional crown. There is no question CAD/CAM is hereto stay and MUSC is making it a top educational priority.

The College of Dental Medicine welcomes new faculty member Dr. Theresa S. Gonzales to the Department of Stomatology in the Division of Pathology.

Dr. Gonzales recently retired from the United States Army Dental Corps after a long and distinguished career in active federal service. Most recently, she was a nominative selection as the Director of Strategic Communications for the Army Surgeon General. During her career, Gonzales served in Director positions in pain management and pathology departments.

Gonzales graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of Charleston with a B.S. in Chemistry. She then received her D.M.D. from MUSC before starting her military career. From 1994 to 1998, Gonzales taught in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences at Baylor College of Dentistry, where she was nominated for "Teacher of the Year" three times. She has continued her education through her career, most recently completing a two-year fellowship in Orofacial Pain at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in 2006.

In addition to teaching undergraduate Pathology, Gonzales will be Director of the Center for Orofacial Pain Diagnosis and Management at CDM. The goal of the pain center will be to reduce pain and improve the quality of life with a variety of treatment methods to help patients reach their unique goals.

The JBECDM welcomes Dr. Gonzales and looks forward to working with her!

For a fifth straight year, the South Carolina Dental Association held its annual Dental Access Days (‘DAD’) event, a 2-day free dental clinic meant to provide dental care to the underserved.

This year over 1,500 patients from around the state were treated. The event was held at the North Charleston Coliseum on August 23rd and 24th. MUSC faculty and students were among those who volunteered from around the state. Over 100 junior and senior dental students worked with faculty to provide care to those in need.

Dr. Mark Barry, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, says of the importance of the event for students: “Participating in Dental Access Days gives our students the opportunity to serve and provide dental care for those who are less fortunate. This is an extremely important part of their education.”

All patients who showed up for the event were treated. Services provided included fillings, extractions, root canals, cleanings and transitional partial dentures. By the end of the second day, approximately $800,000 of free care had been provided.

The MUSC College of Dental Medicine welcomes five new AEGD residents. The new residents bring to MUSC predoctoral dental education experiences from four different universities. Dr. Jennifer Boyland returns as the sixth resident in her second year of AEGD training as chief resident.

Name: Dr. Jennifer Boyland

Dental School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Areas of Interest: Periodontics and Dental Education

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program?I was excited to work with such a new program and have enjoyed participating in its growth. It has turned into such a strong program in such a short amount of time and it is something that I am very proud to be a part of. We have had the opportunity to treat very complex cases all under the supervision of incredibly knowledgeable faculty. This experience has been invaluable to my career. I would do it again in a heart beat (This is probably pretty obvious since I was thrilled to have the opportunity to stay on for a second year!).

What do you like about the residency so far?I love getting to work with such talented, intelligent and friendly people here at MUSC. Every day I learn something new from my faculty or co-residents... and I have fun doing it! Great colleagues make all the difference in the world, I feel like I really lucked out here.

Name: Dr. Steve Frames

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program? One of the biggest draws to the program was the faculty. There are so many doctors that are leaders in their field at MUSC and I wanted the chance to work with them. In addition, the program has many of the latest advances in dental technology and materials which I wanted to become familiar with.

What do you like about the residency so far? I love the interaction with the other specialties. We have a close relationship with the periodontics department in treatment planning and restoring some really complex cases. It is great to be able to complete a case that involves all the other disciplines working together for a common outcome. I also enjoy the lectures we have regarding new procedures and technology that will soon be the future of dentistry.

Name: Dr. Kate Helfrich

Dental School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Areas of Interest: I'm most interested in becoming a well-rounded practitioner. As most of us in this field do, I love the gratification that comes with a really esthetic case and am appreciating the bigger anterior cases I am tackling in our program so far. I also really enjoy all of the experiences I have had with our special-needs population. I have always considered myself a 'people-person,' but I'm learning a lot about myself and my communication skills.

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program? / What do you like about the residency so far?

I was very impressed with Dr. Ziegler, her residents and staff, and the entire MUSC program at my interview. Though I thought I wanted to pursue my graduate year in a GPR, once I saw what this AEGD had to offer, I realized I had been considering the wrong path. I want to be a great general dentist. Though hospital based dentistry seemed "cool" to me initially, I really saw, for the first time, the kind of dentist I have always wanted to and now will be after this program.

I am learning so much about interdisciplinary dentistry. I am testing my comfort zone taking on big cases and surgeries, but am realistic about what I plan to refer out once in private practice. I will be confident with molar endodontics, digital dentistry, surgical procedures, four-handed dentistry, as well as many other skills I was not exposed to in my quick four years of dental school. Even at just six weeks into our program, every day reassures me that I have made the right choice in my decision to attend MUSC.

Name: Dr. Sarah McEnrue

Dental School: University of Kentucky

Areas of Interest: Implants, CADCAM, and Pros

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program? It was a beautiful clinic with new technology and helpful talented faculty. It seemed like the perfect program to help me learn methods for success in private practice.

What do you like about the residency so far? All of the new techniques I'm learning and how helpful everyone is.

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program?I chose the MUSC AEGD program because I felt it would offer me a wide range of dental experiences. I wanted to learn how to do Cerec restorations and the program allows the residents to use such dental technology and get hands on experience on a variety of patients. In addition, I was impressed with the program's focus on interdisciplinary dentistry and educating residents on working with other dental specialties. I also think the program's excellent leadership and mentorship by Dr. Ziegler and various other faculty members was a driving force in my decision to participate in the program.

What do you like about the residency so far?I like the program's sense of community and teamwork. All of the residents, assistants, and mentors work together to help treat the patient with the utmost care. I have been able to learn different ways of treatment planning and patient management which have helped me to approach different challenging cases. I also have enjoyed experiencing new clinical techniques and practicing four-handed dentistry.

Name: Dr. Amanda Koeppel

Dental School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry

Areas of Interest: Cosmetic Dentistry, Endodontics

What led you to choose the MUSC AEGD program?This program is a great stepping stone to private practice. The patient pool and rotation schedule here exposes us to all specialties. There are ample opportunities to learn advanced private practice procedures that we were not exposed to in dental school. Unlike other AEGD programs, specialty programs in this dental school do not take away from our experiences in those specialties.

What do you like about the residency so far?I'm lucky that I ended up with fabulous co residents! Like private practice we consult with each other and share dental school experiences; we all learned things in a slightly different way, and it's helpful to use each resident for their strengths.

MUSC Graduation was held on Friday, May 17th at McAlister Field house at the Citadel and was celebrated by 56 graduates, their families and MUSC faculty and staff.

The Commencement speaker was Dr. Donna Christensen, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the Virgin Islands.

An Honor's Convocation and Hooding ceremony was held on the 16th.

J. David Moss, DMD was the guest speaker. Moss serves as the President-Elect of the South Carolina Dental association. A reception was held after the event on the 1st floor of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine Clinical Sciences building. Thirty-six awards were presented for achievement in various areas of dentistry.

Now that the students have graduated, they are off to start their careers as new dentists.

Thirty will be going into residency programs, including eight into General Practice Residency (GPR), five into Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD), three into Orthodontics, three into Pediatric Dentistry, two into Periodontics, one into Prosthodontics and one into Oral Surgery. Of those, seven will be starting military service when they begin their residency.

Twenty new graduates will start their careers in private practice. The rest of the new dentists will go into Public Health, National Health Service Corps, and internship/fellowship programs.